Dillon and Megan Ramsey, sons Maxwell and Jackson
475 Walnut Drive
Marshall, NC 28753
Phone: Dillon, 828-774-7414, & Megan, 828-550-9581
Email: walnutfarmsnc@gmail.com
Website: https://walnut-farms.square.site/
Type of Farm/Farm Practices
Are you Certified Organic? No
Are you Certified Biodynamic? No
If you are not Certified Organic, do you use organic production methods? Yes
Do you use synthetic fertilizers? No
Do you use any of the following: nonorganic pesticides, herbicides, parasiticides, or fungicides? No
Products/Locations
Please note the products you sell, and livestock breeds where applicable
- Raw whole pet milk and/or herd-shares: We do not have dairy animals, but we highly recommend our neighbors at Jewel Hill Farm!
- Beef/veal: Not yet, we are currently using the pig and chickens to heal the pastures in preparation for cattle!
- Pork: YES!!! We raise heritage breed pigs. Currently we are running Berkshire and Tamworth cross pigs. The Berkshire are world renowned for their marbling and texture, the Japanese refer to them as “Kurobuta.” They are the pork equivalent to Wagyu beef! And the Tamworth are famous for their bacon, we are huge fans of bacon! The pigs are always free ranged and moved around the pastures to feed on the native grasses and till up the briers. The pigs are finished in our walnut and acorn forests where the get their fill of the delicious nuts. This is our Appalachian version of the world famous “Jamón Ibérico” from Spain. The pigs are also supplemented with a locally milled, non-gmo feed. Pork is our specialty!
- Goat/kid: We have the occasional token goats for farm flair, but not for any production
- Mutton/lamb: Not yet! The pigs and chickens are making way for the cattle, but the sheep will be here soon to help add to the diversification of the farm .
- Chicken: YES!!! We have a flock of layers that live on the farm full time. We offer the best eggs in WNC! They live on pasture and get their fill of native grasses and bugs. We call them our tiny dinosaurs! They help scratch and level out the pastures after the pigs have come done there cultivating. The layers are also supplemented with a locally milled, non-gmo feed. And we have a variety of hens that make a rainbow of colored eggs to take home.
- We offer a traditional and heritage meat bird. Raised in the warmer months of the year with the same glorious conditions as the layers. Fully free ranged, just like the layers. Not raised in portable pens like most pasture raised operations. The tiny dinosaurs help us with the same tasks of pasture clean up.
- Duck: n/a, maybe a few token ducks for comic relief.
- Turkey: Not yet! But we hope to offer our first batch of pastured turkey soon.
- Eggs (list type, chicken, duck, etc) : Yes!!! White ones, brown ones, tan ones, pink ones, blue ones, green ones, chocolate colored ones too! The best eggs in WNC. No matter the color of the shell, they have the most nutrient dense yolks and make the most amazing dishes. Always non-gmo! They make incredible hard boiled eggs, the perfect snack to grab and go!
- Honey: No, but Jewel Hill Farm is the best!
- Produce (list typical offerings): We have a small selection of warm season vegetables available for our “farmily members”
- And our son, Maxwell, offers a u-pick pumpkin patch and decorative popcorn too! All non-gmo and fully family friendly! Bring your family out to see the farm and meet your farmer! We love having guests.
- Prepared foods (list typical offerings): We are working with USDA facilities now to begin offering some local, non-gmo dishes made with products from our farm.
Where can customers find you? (check all that apply):
On Farm, Farmers Markets, Drops in certain areas, Restaurants, Grocery stores, Online, Call to order
- We sell at the Riverside Tailgate Market (at Zillicoa Brewing, 870 Riverside Drive, Woodfin) on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month, perfect pick up spot for the weekend’s needs.
- We will deliver to the city of Weaverville and Asheville with a minimum order, and offer deliveries to outlying areas for a fee.
- We are working to add a farm store. Customers can also call ahead and schedule on farm pick-ups.
- Check out our website for shopping too.
Animal Husbandry
Do you use antibiotics and/or hormones? No. If an animal needs health care outside of holistic care, we will help the animal. But that animal will not be offered for sale to our customers. We will donate it to local food banks.
Are the animals pasture-fed? Yes
How much and for how long:
- The pigs start out on pasture, then are finished in our walnut forests.
- The laying flock is on pasture during the growing season, then they prep the garden areas during the winter months.
- The minute the meat birds leave the brooder, they are on pasture and stay on pasture until “graduation day.”
Do you practice managed grazing? Yes
Do you apply compost or compost tea? Yes
Do you apply other soil amendments? No
Do you use supplemental feed?
- For poultry (list type): Yes. Locally milled, non-gmo feed.
- For cows, sheep, and/or goats (list type): n/a
- For pigs (list type): Yes. Locally milled, non-gmo feed.
Do you purchase pre-mixed feed or do you grind your own? Purchase. We have our feed milled to our strict specifications by Silver Mills Feed and Supply in Marshall NC.
Do you personally attend to your animals at least once a day, or do you hire help or farmers to do that for you? Personally Attend. My Wife, children and myself take care of all the farm chores on a daily basis. We have our extended family fill in for us when we are away from the farm. My wife’s parents love to farm sit for us!
Sourcing
Are the animals born on your farm at the address listed? No.
- We purchase our pigs from a local breeder that raises sustainable, pasture raised pigs.
- We currently get our laying chickens from a local free range breeder. We are excited to begin hatching our own birds from our own hens from this year forward!
- The meat birds come from a hatchery in Pennsylvania.
Do you only sell animals that are raised on your farm at the address listed? Yes, everything is raised by us, on our family farm. We can recommend other family farms if you would like other options.
Do you ever purchase animals from auctions or from your processor or do you ever buy parts from your processor (whole pork bellies…)? No, we guarantee that 100% of our products are raised on our farm to our strict standards
Butchering
Meat butchered at a USDA-certified or state-certified abattoir? Yes
Meat butchered on the farm? No, we use a family run, USDA facility that is Animal Welfare Approved for all of our processing. We believe in the idea that our animals should only have one bad day. And we do our best to insure that “graduation” day is as stress free as possible.